Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 19, September 20, 2024
A. Agricultural
employers shall provide potable drinking water and toilet and handwashing
facilities in accordance with this standard for employees engaged in hand-labor
operations in the field, without cost to the employee.
B. Potable Drinking Water.
(1) The agricultural employer shall provide
potable drinking water in locations readily accessible to all
employees.
(2) The agricultural
employer, taking into account the air temperature, humidity, and the nature of
the work performed, shall ensure that the water is suitably cool and in
sufficient amounts to meet the needs of employees.
(3) Dispensing.
(a) Common drinking cups or dippers may not
be used.
(b) The water shall be
dispensed in single use drinking cups or by fountains.
C. Toilet and Handwashing
Facilities.
(1) The requirements in this
section apply to agricultural establishments where 11 or more employees perform
hand-labor operations in the field on any given day.
(2) Toilet and handwashing facilities are not
required for employees who perform field work for a period of 3 hours or less
during the day, including transportation time to and from the field.
(3) Ratio.
(a) One toilet facility and one handwashing
facility shall be provided for each 20 employees or fraction of that
amount.
(b) The ratio of toilet
facilities to employees may be increased to one facility for every 30 employees
when the frequency of servicing is increased to ensure that the facility is
maintained in a clean and sanitary condition.
(4) Toilet facilities shall:
(a) Be constructed to ensure
privacy;
(b) Have self-closing
doors which can be closed and latched from the inside;
(c) Be supplied with toilet paper adequate to
meet employee needs;
(d) Be
adequately ventilated; and
(e)
Appropriately screened.
(5) Location.
(a) Toilet and handwashing facilities shall
be:
(i) Accessibly located; and
(ii) Within 1/4 mile of each employee's place
of work in the field.
(b) When it is not feasible to locate
facilities accessibly and within the required distance due to the terrain, the
facilities shall be located at the point of closest vehicular access.
D. Maintenance. Potable
drinking water and toilet and handwashing facilities shall be maintained in
accordance with appropriate public health sanitation practices, including the
following:
(1) Drinking water containers
shall be:
(a) Constructed of materials that
maintain water quality,
(b) Kept
covered, and
(c) Refilled daily or
more often as necessary;
(2) Toilet facilities shall be operational
and maintained in a clean and sanitary condition;
(3) Handwashing facilities shall be
maintained in a clean and sanitary condition; and
(4) Disposal of wastes from facilities may
not cause unsanitary conditions.
E. Reasonable Use. Employees shall be allowed
reasonable opportunities during the workday to use the facilities.
F. Informational Program. To minimize
exposure to hazards of heat, communicable diseases, retention of urine, and
agrichemical residues, the employer shall inform each employee of the
importance of each of the following good hygiene practices:
(1) Use the water provided for drinking and
handwashing;
(2) Use the toilet for
elimination;
(3) Drink water
frequently and especially on hot days;
(4) Urinate as frequently as necessary;
and
(5) Wash hands:
(a) Both before and after using the
toilet,
(b) Before eating and
smoking.
